Museum of the Contrada dell'Aquila

The Museum of the Contrada dell'Aquila (Contrada of the Eagle) is found in Siena in the rooms of the Oratory of the Tredicini, called this because it originally belonged to the secular company whose number signified Christ and the Apostles. In 1788, three years after the company was abolished, the oratory was put under the control of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Pietro Leopoldo of Lorraine. The building’s architecture comes from the 17th century and is the work of Flaminio del Turco.

The museum has a collection of winning Palios, exhibited from the most recent – including masterpieces by artists like Cassinari, Purificato and Dova – to the oldest.

Aquila is in possession of the oldest drappellone, or Palio banner awarded to the winner, in Siena, on display in the room dedicated to Giovanni Antonio Pecci, which contains the image of the Madonna and dates back to the Palio won by the contrada on July 2, 1719. The piece of fabric was most likely kept in the house of Count Pecci until 1788, when the Grand Duke gave his oratory to the contrada.